Blue
by UnraveledGhoul
Summary: Usagi Hitomi and Tae Yuuki are two best friends. They split after middle school, one going to Seirin High, the other going to Touou High. They both love basketball. Hitomi is good at defense, while Yuuki is a wonderful center. They both have their differences, but they've been the best of friends since they were little. Follow them and discover why blue is their new favorite color.
1. Chapter 1

Hitomi lay on her bed, letting her alarm ring. Her eyes were barely open and her mouth in a straight line. She had one single thought on her mind...school.

It wasn't that she didn't like school; it's that she didn't like getting up early. She loved to sleep, and to sleep in, but she knew she shouldn't be late for her first day. She groaned quietly and rolled over, hitting the dismiss option on her phone.

Her bare feet hit the cold ground and she shivered, looking around.

"Hitomi, it's time to get up!" Her mother called from down the hall. She smiled a bit and stood, looking for her uniform.

"I know I put it somewhere…" She dug through her dirty clothes basket, then her closet. "Ah-ha, found it!" She grinned triumphantly. "I knew I had it!" She could hear her mother making breakfast downstairs, and walked to the bathroom. She showered quickly and combed out her short brown hair.

"Breakfast's ready!" Her mother called, and she hurried downstairs, still pulling on her shirt.

"Yay, food!" She sat down and swung her legs, seeing as she wasn't tall enough for her feet to reach the ground. Her mother put a plate in front of her, and sat down across from Hitomi.

"I wonder how Yuuki is."

"I'm not sure, she hasn't texted me yet. Her school may start later than mine." Her mother nodded with a small smile on her face.

"I hope she comes down to see us soon."

"I hope so too!" They started eating, chatting casually to each other. Soon, Hitomi was walking out the door, her bag slung carelessly over her shoulder. "Bye mom!" She walked down the sidewalk, humming quietly to herself. She looked around, hoping she would see someone she could talk to so she could get to know someone for the first day. She saw a man that looked about her age wearing the Seirin uniform.

"Hey!" She called out to him, running across the street quickly. He looked over at her.

"Huh?"

"You're going to Seirin? Is it your first year?"

"Yeah, I just came from America."

"Cool! It's mine too." She smiled up at him, causing his cheeks to tint pink. "I don't want to walk alone though, so I decided to come bug you. I'm Usagi Hitomi, by the way." She nodded, introducing herself.

"Kagami Taiga." He said, not saying anything against her walking with him.

"I wonder what clubs there are…I hope there's basketball." She said, more to herself then him.

"You play basketball?"

"Yeah, I'm nothing special though, I just really enjoy playing! I wonder if they'd let a girl be on the team…"

"It probably depends. We'd have to get the principles permission." She nodded. They walked up to the school, seeing a large crowd of people inside.

"Are you joining basketball too?" He nodded. "Mind if I follow you?" She said timidly, she was never a person to be in huge crowds, it scared her.

"Go ahead." She smiled gratefully and followed him, holding onto his sleeve tightly. They came across a cat faced boy who was handing out basketball flyers, and Kagami picked him up and walked off. Hitomi stared after him in amazement.

"Dude." He half-smiled at her before setting the boy down on the desk of the basketball stand. She looked around while he talked to the managers. She learned that the girls name was Riko, and she was the coach. The boy was Hyuuga. She thought she saw a familiar blue head of hair, but brushed it off as her imagination.

"I'll see you later, Usagi-san." She looked up at him in surprise, not realizing he finished the conversation.

"Alright. Bye, Kagami-san." She looked at the two sitting on the table opposite of her.

"Hello! I wanted to know if it were possible for a girl to join the team." She smiled, sitting down and putting her hands in her lap.

"You can sign up, but we'll have to ask the principle before you can play in games."

"Alright! I'm okay with that." She filled out the paper and stood up. "I'll come to practice anyway!" She said cheerfully, pushing the chair in and standing up.

"I'll ask the principle later today." Riko said, nodding at her. Hyuuga just stared at her, wondering why she was so cheerful even though she might not be able to play. Hitomi just waved and walked through the crowd, clutching the strap of her purple bag. Her soft brown eyes scanned the crowd, looking for Kagami. She frowned when she couldn't find him.

"Well this sucks." She said quietly, attempting to push through the crowd. She finally made it to the school but there was still about 30 minutes before homeroom actually started. Her phone chimed in her bag, and she dug for it. It was from Yuuki.

_ 'Hey Hitomi, how's it going?' _ She smiled at her best friend's text as she walked.

_'It's going okay Onee-chan! I'm already at school, so I won't be able to text much!'_ Though Yuuki wasn't her real older sister, she was close enough. The two had been friends since they were children, and Yuuki wasn't really much older than she was. Yuuki was born in August, and Hitomi in December.

Hitomi kept playing on her phone, eyes down on it as she walked. She bumped into someone and her phone fell out of her hand and onto the floor, the battery falling out of the back.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" She looked up, not seeing anyone. She blinked a few times and looked around. "Uh.."

"Here's your phone."

"Wahh! When did you get there!" She put a hand over her heart, taking a deep breath. "But, thank you..." She took her phone back from him. "I'm Hitom-..." And he was gone. She frowned, looking around for the blue-haired boy. _'Well then!'_ She walked to her homeroom class and sat near the window, a small frown still on her face. She couldn't dwell on the subject too long because the teacher walked in, signaling the beginning of class.

(Meanwhile)

Yuuki yawned as she got out of bed, barely glancing at her phone as it vibrated. She ran her hands through her long brown hair, stretching. She mumbled words to herself as she showered and got dressed, brushing out her hair and putting it in a ponytail. She grabbed her bag and wallet, walking out the door. She walked down the sidewalk. There was barely anyone out at this time of morning, just students wandering around getting breakfast. She walked into a fast food restaurant and ordered a simple breakfast, sitting at a table by the window.

She pulled out her phone and looked at the text message, smiling softly at the thought of Hitomi. Yeah she missed her, but being seperated for a little while might do them some good. She replied back quickly, looking up when a loud teen walked in the door.

"Oi, Momoi-san, it's way too early to be up." The blue-haired man complained, yawning loudly.

"Aomine-kun, you need to start getting up earlier! I might stop taking notes for you if you don't!" The pink haired girl said in reply, an annoyed expression on her face. Yuuki rolled her eyes.

_ 'I agree with him, its way too early to be up right now. But, I was hungry.'_ She yawned and finished her food, leaning back in her chair. _'Might as well go to the basketball court.'_ She got up, putting her phone in her uniform jacket pocket. She walked by her small apartment and grabbed her pink basketball. She walked to the court by her school, checking the time before taking a few shots. Her mood gradually got better the more she practiced, and soon she was smiling widely, ready to take on the day.

_ End_


	2. Chapter 2

Classes weren't all that interesting, then again, Hitomi didn't pay much attention in the classes either. There was a feeling of dread in her stomach, from what she didn't know. She wasn't hungry, because she had been munching on snacks all day. She didn't know what it was, and it was worrying her.

'Maybe I'm getting sick?' She thought to herself. 'Yeah, that's probably it.' She hummed quietly as she walked down the hall to the basketball court. She opened the doors to the basketball court, seeing Kagami and a few students already there.

"Kagami-kun!" She grinned at him, a large smile on her face.

"Hey, Usagi-chan." He smiled slightly back at her, looking around. "Has the coach talked to you yet? She was looking for you."

"Oh, I'll go find her." She nodded and slung her bag over her shoulder.

"She went to the principal's office!" He yelled after her. She gave him a thumbs up and walked out of the gym. She walked to the principal's office, peeking in to see Riko talking to him. She sat in a nearby chair and waited. Students passed, some looking at her, others just ignoring her presence. Hitomi pulled out her phone and texted her mom.

*'Waiting for the Basketball coach to tell me what's up. ~H~'* She sent the message, the corners of her mouth turning up in the slightest bit. Her mom and her had always had a close relationship. Her dad and her were close too, but he's almost never home. Her Dad loves her Mom and her a lot, and works really hard to keep them safe and funded. Hitomi's parents have been together for a really long time. Her phone chimed softly and she opened it.

*'Alright, Tell me what happens Babygirl.'* A smile broke across her face at the text. Her Mom was the most supportive person she knew.

*'I will. ~H~'*

"Ah, Usagi-chan, how long were you waiting?" Riko asked her. Hitomi stood and grabbed her bag.

"Not long, Kagami-kun said you wanted to talk to me." They both walked down the hall.

"Yeah." Riko smiled. "The Principle said that it's up to me. That I should evaluate your skillset before I let you play in any official games."

"Awesome!" Hitomi grinned.

"So you need to change, Come on, I'll make sure none of the boys peek at you." They walked into the locker room. Hitomi took off her uniform and changed into gym shorts and a tank top, to go under her practice jersey.

'Her numbers are pretty high in her legs, but the rest is average...I wonder if she's a runner?' Riko thought, tilting her head a bit as she looked at her.

"Ah…Riko-san?" Hitomi asked shyly, wondering why the older girl was staring at her.

"Oh, sorry!" Riko scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Let's go out now, Neh?"

"Right!" She followed Riko out, standing in line by Kagami. She nudge him with her arm, a happy smile on her face. Kagami rolled his eyes at the same time Riko shouted.

"Boys, take off your shirts!" Hitomi blushed and looked at the floor while the men took off their shirts. She kept her eyes down while Riko checked their numbers. She heard their shirts being put back on and looked up and around. "So that's everyone right?"

"Riko, where's Kuroko?"

'Kuroko? As in Kuroko Tetsuya from Teikou?' Her eyes widened. 'That's the boy I ran into earlier!' She spaced out, thinking. 'He's part of the Generation of Miracles, isn't he? I didn't really talk to him much. But, that means he knows Kise-kun...'

"Usagi-chan!" Kagami snapped his fingers in front of her face. She flinched, looking up at him. "Practice is over."

"WAAA?"

"Relax!" Kagami rubbed his ear. "We didn't do much after the Kuroko scare." She nodded. "Want to come get some burgers with me at Maji burger?"

"Maybe next time, I've got to get home. My mom's made dinner." She smiled. "Hey, maybe tomorrow after practice you can come to my house for dinner. You live alone right? My mom wouldn't mind."

"Err…Sure, I mean, free food right?" He scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah!"

"Alright, we can walk home together then." She nodded.

"I'll see you tomorrow Kagami-kun!" She grabbed her bag and jogged home.

_Yuuki_

Yuuki sighed as she walked into the gym again. She felt like this was going to be a habit for her every morning. Her eyes narrowed, when the same blue-haired man from yesterday was in there, napping in the middle of the floor. She rolled her eyes and let her basketball drop, dribbling to the hoop. She was hoping she would wake him up. She did a layup and ran dribbled to the other side, doing another one. She kept this up until she was almost out of breath.

"Oooooi." The man groaned, sitting up. He looked around, glaring at Yuuki.

"What? I didn't know you owned this place. I don't see your name on it." She snapped, looking back to the basket to shoot a free throw. She made it in with ease and went to grab the ball. Aomine grumbled and got up.

"Who are you and why are you here?"

"Well shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"

"Aomine Daiki. Now answer my questions."

"I'm Tae Yuuki. And I'm playing basketball...what else?" He rolled his eyes and held his hand out for the ball. She shot him a strange look.

"Play me in a one-on-one." She thought for a moment.

"Sure, why not." She tossed him the ball. They got ready in the middle. He tossed the ball in the air and she jumped up, grabbing it before he could. She dribbled slowly, watching him carefully. 'I have to get past him.' She faked him and ran past, he was faster than her though, and was soon in front of her again. "Holy crap man!" She grinned and tried to get past him again. They ended up playing for a few hours, when Yuuki's phone rang.

"Oh, Crap! What time is it?!"

"11:30. Why?"

"Uh, I don't know...SCHOOL?"

"Hey, we're busy!" He yelled as she picked up her phone.

"Busy with what? YUUKI WAS THAT A GUY?" Hitomi yelled.

"We're playing basketball, just...playing basketball. Why are you calling me?" She sat down.

"To see if you were in school."

"I probably still would have answered." Yuuki scoffed.

"Yeah, Probably."

"What do you need Hitomi?"

"Are you coming back this weekend?" She asked quietly. "I miss you." Yuuki smiled softly, dribbling her basketball. Aomine watched her with confused eyes.

"Yeah, I'll be back this weekend. I miss you too."

"Good! I'll have Mom make your favorite! Love you!" Hitomi hung up. Yuuki laughed and looked at Aomine.

"Was that your boyfriend?" He asked.

"So what if it was?"

"It doesn't really matter."

"It wasn't. It was my best friend."

"Oh." Yuuki shook her head, still dribbling.

"We should probably get to school." She said, wiping her forehead with her shirt.

"Momoi will take notes for me."

"Yeah, But I don't have someone who'll do that."

"Sucks for you."

"Rude!" She tucked her basketball under the bleachers. Aomine chuckled, rolling his eyes. She waved to him and walked out, planning on how she was going to sneak into her classroom.


	3. Chapter 3

Hitomi never really paid attention in classes, yet always had high scores. She was a natural at doing nothing and studying the night before and still getting decent scores on her tests. She wasn't sure why, she just did. Anyway, her paying attention skills were often clouded over by her 'sleeping anywhere' skill. She was sitting in class- falling asleep like always, when the door opened. She looked up, seeing a girl with red and black hair.

"Wah, so awesome!" She blurted before she could stop herself. The girl looked up at her and flashed a bright smile.

"Thanks!" Hitomi blushed red, hiding her face. The girl smiled and introduced herself. "Hello everybody, my names Hanako Akria, but feel free just to call me Akira!" She giggled and went to sit down beside Hitomi- Who now had to sit alone because she talked to Kagami too much and got in trouble. Akira plopped in the seat next to her, tilting her head while looking at the blushing girl.

"I hope we can be friends." She said to her quietly, because class had already started.

"Me too!" She said, just as quietly. Akira grinned and got out her books.

"What club are you in?" Akria asked, not even worried about getting in trouble.

"Basketball. What are you going to join?"

"Hmm ~ maybe basketball or even craft club!" Hitomi grinned and a small giggle escaped her lips.

"Well, our basketball team doesn't have a manager."

"I don't really know anything about basketball honestly." Akira messed with her hair, looking down at her text book.

"I'm sure you'll do great in craft club then!" Akira nodded and dropped her hand, her face becoming happy again.

"I've always been good with crafts! I love making my own clothes!"

"Girls! You need to pay attention!" Well that's the end of THAT conversation.

"Can my brothers and I eat Lunch with you? Well if they want too, I haven't talked to them yet."

"Well I was going to eat with the basketball team, but you're welcome to join if you want!" Akira nodded with a big smile on her face, following Hitomi. Hitomi hummed and pulled out her phone, texting Yuuki.

*'I met someone today! I think you'll like her~!' ~H~'

"Oh, can we trade numbers?"

"Sure!" They walked up to the Basketball table after exchanging numbers.

"Kagami-kun!" Hitomi smiled up at the red haired giant. He grunted at her between shoving food in his mouth. She giggled and sat down by Kuroko.

"Hello Kuroko-kun." She smiled at him. He nodded at her. "I never thanked you properly for helping me fix my phone, so thank you." She bowed her head at him.

"It wasn't a problem Usagi-san." She blushed a bit when he said her name, she wasn't really sure why. She heard a giggle and looked over to see Akira and Teppei getting along great. She smiled, looking back to her food. She really wasn't that hungry so she pushed her food over to Kagami and watched him inhale it. Kuroko watched her silently, tilting his head a bit. She pulled out her phone.

*'Dang it Mi, you almost got me in trouble! ~Trouble~'*

*'Hehe, sorry! ~H~'*

"Who's Yuuki?" Kuroko asked her, he had been looking over her shoulder. She jumped and looked at him, blinking slowly.

"My…best friend. Hey! It's not right to just read peoples texts!" She said, flustered. He looked at the blush on her face.

"Gomen."

"That's all you can say?!"

"Usagi-chan! My ear!" Kagami yelled into hers.

"Ow KAGAMI!"

"Don't hurt Usagi-chan Kagami!" Koganei said loudly, which caused all the other members to turn.

"WHY AM I BEING BLAMED?!"

Hitomi covered her ears, ducking her head a bit. She waited until it got quiet.

"...So Kagami-kun. Are you still coming over for dinner?" He looked at her like she had grown a second head. "...What?"

"Yeah, I guess I'll come over." She grinned.

"Good, I told my mom I was bringing you!" He shook his head slightly.

"How about you all come over after practice?" They looked at her. "I can ask my Mom to make us dinner!" They looked to Riko.

"I...I guess that's fine." She grinned.

"Yay! I'll text my mom." Riko nodded.

'This girl...'

Basketball practice was...interesting, to say the least. It was the first years against the second years today and of course Hitomi got to play. She was really happy, and was able to keep up with the boys' pretty well. Kuroko and Kagami kept glancing at her, to see how she was holding up. Her mark on defense was Hyuuga, and she was holding him off pretty well, keeping her body angled so he couldn't get past her easily. Akira and her brothers were sitting and watching practice. Aki and Akio kept pointing out how good Hitomi looked, and Akira kept smacking them.

Hitomi didn't notice, though everyone else did. Her focus was on the game, though it was just a practice game. She stepped in front of her Senpai again, her small body guarding his. She knew Kuroko and Kagami were doing most of the work, and she didn't mind. She just wanted to be able to support them enough so they can make shots. She shifted her feet when Hyuuga did, keeping him in one place.

Riko watched with interest. The way Hitomi moved was different, it wasn't stiff. It was like she was relaxed, though Riko could tell she was working hard. _'Is that what's making it so effective against Hyuuga? She doesn't seem to be bothered by the fact that he's bigger than she is.' _ Riko's thoughts were interrupted when screaming came from outside. Everyone stopped and turned to look, huffing and panting.

"Kise-Kun?" Hitomi asked herself quietly, though Kuroko heard her and turned to look at her.

"Kurokocchi!" Kise yelled, launching himself at the male. Kuroko stepped to the side and Kise face planted into the basketball floor. "Why?" He cried, waterfall tears coming down his face. Hitomi giggled and Kise looked up at her.

"Hitomicchi!" He jumped at her and tackled her to the floor. She squealed and pat his head.

"Hello Kise-kun!"

"Usagi-chan? How do you know him?" Hyuuga and Riko asked.

"Hitomicchi was my girlfriend in middle school!" Everyone looked at her.

"EEEEHHH?!"

"Kise-kun stop lying!" She blushed brightly and looked away from him. "I wasn't your girlfriend, Pastahead."

"But Hitomicchi!" He cried. She huffed and looked away from him. He pouted.

"So that's why you look familiar." Kuroko said. She looked up at him.

"Eh? You seriously didn't remember me? Akashi-kun introduced us." Kuroko didn't respond to her because Kagami interrupted.

"You're from the Generation of Miracles right? Play me!" Kise sighed and got up off of Hitomi's lap, taking off his jacket while walking over to Kagami.

"Kagami-kun, you don't know what you just got yourself into..." Hitomi said quietly.


	4. Chapter 4

Yuuki rolled over in her bed. She slept through school, not that she cared. She sat up and turned on her phone. As soon as it was turned on she was bombarded by text messages from Aomine.

'Yo.' 'Where are you?' 'Why aren't you at school?' 'Are you still sleeping?' 'Come to my practice.' She groaned and looked at the clock.

'I can still make it to his practice...' She stood and ran a hand through her hair. She walked to her closet and changed into a pair of black jeans and a pink undershirt. She grabbed her phone and wallet, walking to the front of the house. She slipped on a pair of shoes and walked out, sighing softly. She felt so sluggish and tired, and she wasn't sure why. She started the walk to the school, sticking her hands in her jacket pockets.

She saw a familiar face across the street on a bike.

"Hey!" She called, running to the other side of the street. He looked up at her.

"Ah, Taae-chan, how are you?" Shoichi Imayoshi asked her, putting his foot on the ground to steady his bike.

"I'm wonderful." She said sarcastically. "You're heading to basketball practice right? Can I grab a ride with you?"

"You'll have to ride on my handlebars."

"That's fine." She climbed onto the front of his bike. His hands sat on either side of her and hers held onto the handlebars themselves. She leaned back a little bit to help keep the balance. He started riding towards the school, his chest pressed up against her back. She leaned her head back, closing her eyes. 'I'm so tired.' Shoichi looked down at her with a slightly concerned expression. The Yuuki he knew was always ready to beat on Aomine. He rode to the school in silence, pulling up to the bike rack. Aomine was waiting outside.

"Hey Trouble-san, It's dangerous to ride on a bike like that." Aomine scolded her. She waved him off with a tired look.

"Yeah, yeah, thank you Imayoshi-san." She nodded to him and pat his cheek. She walked over to Aomine and followed him inside. He sat her next to Momoi.

"You're Yuuki-san? Aomine-kun talks about you a lot!" Yuuki blushed a bit.

"Does he?"

"Mhm! He says he likes beating you in basketball." Yuuki got a tick mark on the back of her head.

"Of course he'd say that." She coughed into her hand quietly. Aomine looked over from the other side of the court. 'I wonder if she's okay.' He frowned but focused on practicing. She watched him intently.

"Is that really how he plays? I don't really notice when I play him..." she muttered quietly. Momoi nodded, a small smile resting on her face as well. Yuuki watched him play awhile longer before closing her eyes for a moment.

When she opened them next, Aomine was shaking her awake.

"Are you okay Taae-san?" He asked her, helping her sit up.

"Hai, I'm just tired." She rubbed her eyes.

"I'll help you home." He helped her onto his back, his hands settling underneath her thighs to keep her up. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, putting her head down.

"I think I might be getting sick. I've been sleeping all day and I'm still tired." He looked over his shoulder.

"We'll get some cold medicine in you, try and stop it before it hits." He said, walking up to her small apartment.

"It's unlocked." She mumbled and he walked inside, taking off his shoes. "My room is the last one down the hall." She said tiredly. He nodded and walked to the room, setting her down.

"Change into your pj's; I'll get you some medicine."

"Bathroom's on the right." She said and he left, giving her time to change into her pink pjs. She got into bed and pulled the blankets around her, much like a cocoon. Aomine smiled when he walked in and handed her the two pills and a cup of water.

"Take these and get some rest, I'll call and check on you in the morning."

"Thank you Ao-kun." He smiled at her.

"Wouldn't want Trouble-san to get sick would we?" She shook her head and lay down, closing her eyes. He rubbed her head. "Sleep well." He walked out, closing the door behind him.

Hitomi walked down the street happily, the basketball team following her quietly. She hummed, playing on her phone while she walked. With her eyes on her phone, she started to cross the street, not realizing that it wasn't their time to walk. Kuroko grabbed the back of her jacket, pulling her back to the sidewalk. She looked up at him over her shoulder.

"Hm?"

"You were about to walk into traffic Usagi-san."

"Oh! Well, Thanks Kuroko-kun." She smiled at him. He blushed a little bit and let go of her jacket. Kagami put a hand on her head.

"Don't get yourself killed before we get food." Her jaw dropped and she smacked him.

"Don't be rude Kagami-kun!" She pouted as they started walking across the street. She followed them, walking in the middle with Riko. She looked down at her phone again, sending a quick reply to Akria. They soon all walked up to her house and she opened the door. "Mom, we're here!"

Her mom walked from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a towel. She smiled warmly in greeting and kissed Hitomi on the forehead.

"How was school?"

"It was good! These are my friends!" She grinned and pointed at the basketball team.

"Wow!" Her mother wore a bright smile. "I'm very glad you've made friends Hitomi." She rubbed her head. "Why don't you take your friends to the living room while I fix dinner?"

"Alright!" She smiled and led the team to the living room. She moved the table in the middle and they all sat down. "What do you guys wanna do? We have video games!" They grinned and nodded. She pulled out the console, setting it up quickly. "Who wants to play first?" She tilted her head. "We only have two controllers." They all started arguing over who should go first. There was a knock on the door and Hitomi went to answer it.

"Hitomi!"

"Akira-chan!" Hitomi hugged her friend, leading her in the house. She handed a controller to her and one to Kuroko.

"You guys are the only ones not yelling…" Kuroko smiled at her and she blushed lightly. Akira took a seat in between Kyoshi and Hyuga. Hitomi sat between Kagami and Kuroko. They all sat and started playing Battlefield 4. "Behind you Kuroko-kun!" Hitomi squealed as Akira killed him from behind. Akira laughed evilly and Kuroko handed the controller off. They continued like that, Akria being unbeatable.

"It's time for dinner boys and girls!" Her mom called from the kitchen. Hitomi jumped up and ran into the kitchen.

"I'll help hand out plates! Kagami-kun needs a big plate. And don't forget Kuroko-kun!" She said to her mom, grabbing plates from the counter and walking into the living room. The game had been turned off and a movie was being put into the DVD player. She handed out plates, going back to the kitchen to get more. She kept doing that until everyone had plates, then she went back to get her own. "Are you going to watch the Movie with us Momma?" She looked up at her.

"Of course!" They walked to the living room and Hitomi's mom sat on the recliner. The movie started and they all started to eat.

"This is amazing Miss Usagi!"

"Thank you Kagami-san, just call me Kimiko." She smiled sweetly at the boy. He blushed slightly and nodded, turning back to the movie. About have way through the movie Hitomi got up and gathered the plates, taking them to the kitchen. Kuroko got up to help her. They took the teams plates to the kitchen and put them in the sink.

"Thanks Kuroko-kun." He nodded at her, a small smile on his face. She turned and started doing the dishes, pushing back the blush that threatened to rise. He started rinsing the dishes. "Didn't you want to see the movie?" She asked, washing off another dish.

"I've it already."

"Oh really? How did you like it?"

"It was okay." She nodded.

"It's one of my favorite movies." She moved to drying the dishes. They were soon done and went back to the living room. The movie was still pretty far from the ending. It didn't take the two of them very long to do the dishes. They sat back in their spots. Hitomi yawned and stretched. Kuroko and Kagami glanced at her.

"Getting sleepy Usagi-san?" She nodded and leaned her head back. She watched the movie for a few more minutes before she fell asleep. As soon as the movie was over, everyone got up quietly, being careful not to disturb the sleeping members. Kagami had fallen asleep, as well as Kyoshi, Akira, and Kuroko. Kimiko cooed at the two boys and her daughter. Kagami was asleep on her lap and Kuroko on her shoulder. Hitomi would be bright red if she was awake to see how they were.

"You all can stay here if you want. It's late." Kimiko said.

"I should head home, my father will worry." Riko stretched and grabbed her bag. Hyuga followed.

"We should all be getting home to our parents. Want me to wake them up?" Hyuga said.

"No, they can stay. I know Kagami's here alone. Kuroko can-"

"NOT MY ONEW!" Akria yelled and sat straight up, making Teppei fall over and jolt awake.

"…Alright then, do you two need to go?" Kimiko laughed and helped Akira up. She nodded and grabbed her bag.

"You coming with me Teppei?" He nodded and stood.

"Thank you Kimiko-chan!" The basketball team thanked with a bow.

"It was wonderful to meet you all!" She smiled. "You're all welcome here." They waved as they all left in different directions down the street. Kimiko smiled and walked back to the three left in the living room. She gently shook their shoulders, handing them clothes to change into so she could wash their uniforms. Kuroko rubbed his eyes sleepily.

"Thank you Kimiko-san." She smiled and led them both to bathrooms. She took their uniforms and put them in the washer. She walked back to the living room to see Kuroko had fallen asleep on the couch and Hitomi was still on the floor. Kimiko shook her head and shook her shoulder.

"Silly girl, you have your own room to sleep in." Hitomi groaned, sitting up. She got up and gave her mom a kiss on the cheek before going to her room and falling back asleep.

End! Haha, good chapter? Bad chapter? Feedback please! Is there anything you think I can improve? Or do you think it's good the way it is? Please tell me!


	5. Chapter 5

When Hitomi woke up the next day, she quickly put on her practice clothes and left the house. She left a note for her mom on the table telling her where she would be. She pulled her short hair into a ponytail and grabbed her basketball, heading to the courts at the school. She started practicing, pushing herself harder than she normally would.

'I'll definitely prove I can do this!' She thought, determined. She went for another layup, panting heavily. She put her hands on her knees and walked to the bleachers to get her drink. She let out a soft sigh of satisfaction before continuing practice. It wasn't until about ten minutes later did she land wrong coming down from a layup and landed hard on her knee. She hissed in pain and sat there for a few minutes, nursing her knee, which had a large scrape on it now.

Hitomi got up and went over to her bag, grabbing a roll of medical bandages and wrapping them around her knee and taping it up. 'Ow, ow, owie.' She thought, biting her lip hard. She took a deep breath and went into the locker room, changing into her school uniform. She walked to the main part of the school and sat down, waiting for her first class to start.

Hitomi walked into the gym after school, smiling at the guys who had their uniform on.

"Just give me a second and I'll get changed!" She nodded and walked quickly into the locker room, changing into her uniform. She pulled her bag over her shoulder and walked out, once again ignoring the sharp twinge in her knee when she walked. Kuroko was looking at her with sharp eyes, he knew something was up with her, but he wasn't going to say anything about it. He frowned, watching her act like nothing was wrong. He walked over to her and tugged on her arm.

"May I talk to you, Usagi-chan?" She turned to him and nodded, noticing his troubled look.

"Are you alright, Kuroko-kun?"

"Hai. But are you?" He asked in response.

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?" She played it off like it was nothing.

"You're in pain." She looked down, sighing heavily.

"I took a small spill this morning when I was practicing, but it's nothing to worry about! I'll be fine." She smiled and nodded at him.

"It's bad not to take care of a sports injury, Hitomi." She paused when he used her first name, but otherwise thought nothing of it.

"I know, but it's just a bruise. Please don't tell anyone?" She looked up at him. "I want to prove that I can do this, that I'm tough enough to handle being tossed around a bit. Please, Kuroko-kun." He didn't say anything, just let out a small sigh and nodded.

"Be careful, Hitomi-chan."

"I will be!" She smiled and walked to the bus behind him. As she looked at his back she couldn't help but think of how nice he was being to her. And why did he call her by her first name, did he want to be friends with her? She was utterly confused; did that mean she could call him by his first name now? She carefully walked up the stairs of the bus, sitting near the back windows. Kawahara sat next to her, putting hand on her head.

"Hey, you excited?"

"Definitely!" She nodded happily. "I also can't wait to see Kise-kun again, he's such a good friend." Kawahara nodded, sitting back against the chair. Hitomi put her head against the window and watched the scenery go by as they drove. Hitomi was always one to get amazed at small things, like how a tall a building was or pretty a cloud was. She got distracted in her own world and soon enough they were at Kaijō. Kawahara offered his hand to help her up and she smiled.

"Thanks." He smiled widely at her and they walked off the bus. Kise met them outside.

"Kuroichii! Hitomicchi!" Kise ran up to them and smiled at Kuroko and Hitomi.

"Hello Pastahead." Hitomi smiled at him as he started crying.

"Hitomicchi is so mean!" He cried. "I've been crying ever since Kuroicchi rejected me yesterday, and now this!" Hitomi giggled at the look on Kuroko's face.

"Uh, why are you here Kise-san?"

"I came to show you guys inside." He nodded. "Right this way."

They followed Kise inside the gym, where they realized they only had half court to play on.

"What is this? Are they not taking us seriously?!" Hitomi frowned deeply, crossing her arms over her chest. "This is ridiculous!"

Kuroko nodded in agreement and moved to stand next to Kagami.

"Which one of you is the coach?"

"Oh, that would be me." Riko said, stepping forward.

"Huh? You're not the manager?!" Riko frowned and stepped forward.

"I am Coach Aida Riko. We look forward to playing you today!"

After Kaijo's regulars got warmed up, the game started. Kagami was angry at the fact that they only had half the court, so when he dunked with extra force the hoop came apart in his hands.

"Whoa! Kagami-kun that was amazing!" Hitomi shouted from half court. She walked over to him and looked at the hoop. It was bigger than her whole head! She stuck her arm through it and laughed. Kagami shook his head with a slight smile on his face.

"These things are bigger than I thought they were!" He exclaimed, holding the hoop up to his face.

'He's a monster!'

Hitomi grinned as they moved to play full court bumping Kuroko and Kagami with her shoulders.

"Good job guys."

"Thanks...I think." She smiled and the game started up again. Hitomi quickly grabbed her mark. She chased after him and her face twisted in pain, but she didn't stop. 'I'm going to prove I can do this.' She thought and screened her mark. She watched Kise pull the same dunk that Kagami did, but a lot stronger.

'We're in a lot of trouble, I gotta keep these guys busy.' She nodded to herself and continued to play, the pain in her knee a steady ache. Riko saw her struggling to keep up with the high paced play. She frowned.

"Maybe she really can't handle being in official games." She said quietly to herself, watching Hitomi run across the court. Riko put her hand under her chin, thinking. It was that point in time when Hitomi and another player tripped over each other. Pain shot up Hitomi's leg and she grit her teeth.

'Come on, get back up!' She stayed on her hands and knees, trying to get herself up.

The referee blew the whistle and hurried over to her. Her teammates looked over their shoulders then rushed to her side. Kagami and Hyuga helped her up and she limped back over to the bench with their help. They set her down and Riko sat in front of her.

"Are you alright? A small tumble like that shouldn't have done much damage." She asked as she wrapped Hitomi's knee. Koganei grabbed a cold pack and set it on her knee. "Where you already hurt?" Hitomi nodded, hiding her face behind her hair. "Then why did you play? Do you know how stupid that is?!"

"I'm sorry." She said quietly. "I wanted to prove that I could do it. That I could take being pushed around and falling. I didn't know..." She clenched her fists and Riko's eyes softened. The game had already started up again.

"Rest up." She pat her head and nodded.

'Why?' She rubbed her eyes. 'Why couldn't I just tell them I was hurt? Why did my stupid pride get in the way?!' She closed her eyes tightly. 'Why am I so weak?' A large hand placed itself on her head. She looked up into Kagami and Kuroko's eyes.

"Don't punish yourself too hard Hitomi-san." Kuroko said.

"Yeah, it's okay. We all have our days." Kagami smiled at her. She smiled back at him and wiped her eyes.

"Thanks guys. Thank you so much." Kuroko sat next to her as Riko explained the strategy. She listened closely. Even though she wasn't playing, she wouldn't give up. Not now.

"So you're not gonna tell me things unless I ask!?" Riko yelled, strangling Kuroko. Hitomi covered her mouth and laughed.

"Go kick butt guys!"

The game was now over and the team was on the way to the doctors to get Kuroko's head and Hitomi's leg checked. She bit her lip nervously, she really hated doctors, and going back by herself. The last time she went by herself she had a severe panic attack. She poked Kagami's shoulder-She was currently riding on his back, due to the fact she couldn't walk.

"Yeah?"

"Will...Will you go back with me? I don't want to go by myself." She mumbled, blushing brightly. He sighed heavily.

"How old are you?"

"It's rude to ask a woman her age Kagami-kun." Kuroko said to him. She giggled.

"Thanks Tet-kun." He looked up at her with a slight blush on his face, but otherwise said nothing. Riko eyed the two curiously. Kagami agreed to go back with her as they walked into the office. He set her down on the examination table and sat in a chair. She went through some X-rays and flexibility tests.

"It looks like you have a major sprain, no broken bones, luckily. Just stay off of it for a week or two and you should be fine. No practice." She frowned and sighed, nodding. The doctor rewrapped her knee and handed her two crutches.

They walked out and gave the team the verdict.

"You should have been more careful Usagi-chan."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry about this Coach." Riko sighed and smiled.

"Well it can't be helped now." Hitomi nodded and looked at Kuroko.

"What did they say about your head?"

"It's nothing major."

"Good." She smiled at him, adjusting her gym bag awkwardly over her crutches. Kuroko took it from her when they started walking. She sent him a grateful look. "Thanks."

"It's no problem."

"Let's eat guys!"

_End_


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning, Hitomi lay in her bed, staring at her alarm clock. She still had about 10 minutes before she still had to get up and start getting ready for school. Last night was a rough night, her thoughts wouldn't let her sleep. Her mind was going a thousand different directions all at different speeds. She was upset. Upset that she had done something so ridiculously stupid. Her mother yelling at her the night before made it difficult for her to sleep. She felt like she was going to cry all night. The decision she had made didn't make it any easier for her to sleep. She sat up and turned her alarm of before it went off and grabbed the crutches from beside her bed. She carefully changed her clothes-very glad that her school uniform was a skirt instead of pants. She buttoned up her skirt and rubbed her eyes, sighing.

"This sucks." She mumbled to herself as she crutch-walked to the bathroom. She put on a little bit of makeup and brushed out her hair. She grabbed her bags and walked into the living room. "Mom?" She looked around, surprised her mother wasn't awake yet. She shrugged and made herself a simple breakfast. While she was putting butter on her toast, there was a knock at the door. She hobbled over to the door and opened it. "Wah, pastahead?!"

"I walk all the way here to walk you to school and this what I get?" He pouted and she smiled, giggling softly.

"Ne, Sorry Kise-san. It's just habit now. Come on in, I'm making my breakfast." She walked back in and went back into the kitchen, sitting on the counter space. Kise walked in behind her and sat across from her, near the stove.

"So what's wrong?"

"What makes you think something's wrong?" She asked around her toast, averting her eyes.

"I can tell. You're not happy, what's wrong? Are you in pain?"

"No, it's not that. Its..." Three knocks sounded from the door. "Can you answer that? I want to finish eating."

"Sure." Kise hopped down and walked to the door. He opened the door. "Kurokocchi?" Kuroko looked up at Kise. "Why are you here?"

"I came to help Hitomi-chan get to school." Kise raised his brows. Kuroko still called him by his last name, but he calls Hitomi by her first? 'Hmm...'

"Alright, since you're here that means I can go! Take care of her Kurokocchi~" He grinned and waved, walking out.

"You don't need to tell me that." Kuroko said quietly and shut the door, walking into the kitchen.

"Hm, Tetsu-kun? When did you get here? Where did Kise-kun go?"

"He left."

"Oh." Hitomi carefully hopped of the counter, using her crutches as support.

"I assume you came to walk me to school?" Kuroko nodded and held his hand out for her bag. She blinked a few times before she realized what he was asking for.

"I can carry it Tetsu-kun." She said, pulling her bag over her shoulder.

"You might trip. You're clumsy."

"I am not!" She protested, walking forward on her crutches-and almost tripping when her bag got caught. Kuroko rolled his eyes and grabbed the strap of her bag. She sighed and willingly let him take it, blushing brightly. "Don't say a word."

"I won't." He smiled at her and she looked down.

"Let's get going?"

"Right." They walked out the door and Hitomi locked it behind her, thus beginning her long day at school.

_Yuuki_

The last few days had been rough on Yuuki. She had finally gotten over the small sickness she had gotten, thanks to Aomine. She missed two days of school, and it was hell trying to catch up in all of her classes. She didn't think she would ever get done when a large body sat down beside her. She looked up.

"Hm? Daiki?" She blinked several times. He munched on a snack bar and handed her copies of the papers she was doing. "If you expect me to do your homework on top of mine-"

"Look at them." He said. She looked down at the papers and realized they weren't blank papers.

"Wha..?"

"Stop stressing out. It's stupid to watch." He leaned back on the ground. They were currently on their lunch break, and sitting on the roof of Touou Academy.

"...Thanks, Daiki." He grunted and rolled on his side, closing his eyes. She looked at him for a second and smiled, pushing her hair behind her ear. "Lazy ass."

"Heard that."

"You were supposed too."

"Tch." He yawned. She finished the assignment in about five minutes and lay next to him, staring up at the sky.

"My friend got hurt." She told him casually.

"Oh?" He mumbled, not really caring.

"Kind of makes me feel bad. When I'm not there she does stupid things." She sighed softly. "Boy do I miss her."

"Let's go see her then."

"What? You have basketball practice. So does she."

"She plays basketball? So she's like you then. Probably just as annoying too." He yawned and stretched.

"Hey!" She hit him over the head.

"Oi!" He glared at her. She stuck her tongue out at him. "It's not like I need the practice." She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Of course you don't. Maybe I'll see her this weekend. I don't want to disturb her practices."

"Whatever." He got comfortable again. She moved and laid her head on his ribs. "What the-"

"Shut up, I'm exhausted and you're comfortable." She mumbled and closed her eyes. She got all of her work done, now the only other thing to do is check on Hitomi later. She mumbled and drifted into sleep. Aomine looked down at her and sighed heavily.

"Brat." He put a hand on her head and closed his own eyes, fully aware he wasn't going back to class or practice.

_Hitomi_

The day couldn't have gone any slower for Hitomi. She was dreading telling Riko that she was going to quit. Kagami and Kuroko could tell something was bothering her, and it worried both of them. But, whenever they asked, she would brush them off. Telling them that everything was fine, and they didn't believe her for a second. She knew that, but she wouldn't tell them. She walked down the hall after school. Kuroko had already taken her bags to the basketball court. She smiled when she thought of Kuroko. They had become friends in such a short amount of time, the same with her and Kagami. She was so happy to finally have friends, people that accepted her. She hoped she wouldn't lose them today.

She walked into the basketball court and looked for Riko. Riko was surrounded by the boys as they talked about a match they had coming up. Someone named Dad? was on the team, apparently he was really big and skilled. Hitomi took a deep breath and walked over to them.

"Guys, I want to tell you something."

"What is it Usagi-chan?" Riko asked, tilting her head at her.

"I..I've decided to quit the team." She said quietly.

"What?!" The team exclaimed, excluding Kuroko. He just watched Hitomi look down to her feet and squeeze her hands on her crutches.

"So you're just going to quit huh? Just because you took a spill and couldn't get back up!" Kagami yelled angrily, Kuroko put a hand on his arm as he took a step forward as a warning. "I hate people that are weak!"

Hitomi swallowed her tears. "That is not why I'm quitting Kagami!" She yelled back, looking up at him. Kagami looked at her surprised, not expecting her to yell back. "I'm quitting because I'm not strong enough for this team! I've played woman's basketball almost all of my life. I can handle you guys in men's basketball, but not people who aren't careful with me. I learned that yesterday." Kagami's eyes widened.

"But-"

"I want what is best for Seirin. And that isn't me." She said quietly, looking down. "But, I'm going to get better." She looked up and looked at Riko. "Can I still be manager? I want to be apart of the team. I want to learn and practice with you guys."

Riko smiled and nodded. "Of course. We still need one. We want you to be here too, Usagi-chan." Hitomi smiled and wiped her eyes.

"Group hug!" Koganei yelled, carefully tackling Hitomi. She squeaked as the rest of the team surrounded her.

"Usgai sandwich!" Kawahara shouted. Kuroko simply stood back. Hitomi wiggled and shouted.

"Hey if I'm getting squished then everyone has to join!" It was directed to Kuroko, but also Hyuuga wasn't hugging her either. Hyuuga rolled his eyes and joined the hug, and Kagami grabbed Kuroko's arm and pulled him into the hug, against his will.

Hitomi laughed and smiled.

'Seems like everything will be okay after all.'


	7. Chapter 7

Hitomi smiled, watching Kuroko and Kagami sleep in class. She studied their faces, tilting her head slightly. Kuroko's face was calm, but Kagami's was angry-like he was playing a basketball game in his dreams. Right as that thought crossed her mind, Kagami's hand shot out like he was dunking...right onto the teacher's head.

"How dare you sleep so shamelessly in my class? Come to the faculty office later." The teacher said angrily.

"What?" Kagami yelled in desperation. He then glanced at Kuroko behind him, not getting in trouble. Hitomi laughed quietly, covering her mouth. Kagami glared at her. She looked away innocently, looking towards the teacher. Class continued with Kuroko still asleep.

Yuuki glared at Aomine's spot in the classroom, the big brute wasn't here today-or not in class.

"Excuse me Sensei, I have to use the restroom." The teacher gave her a look but let her go. She stood and walked out of class, her bag with her. Being a girl made it really easy to escape with her bag. She walked to the roof, seeing Aomine laying down.

"Yo dofus." Aomine didn't even stir and she groaned. "Come on Daiki!" She sat next to him and shook his shoulder roughly.

"What dammit?" He looked over at her. "You brat." She punched him.

"I am not a brat! You brute!" She glared angrily. "Don't make me kick you. Asshole." She mumbled.

"What do you want Yuuki?"

"You weren't in class. I was conce-confused. I didn't know where you went." She blushed slightly and looked away from him, crossing her arms. He noticed and smirked at bit, sitting up. He poked her cheek.

"Are you blushing?"

"No!" She smacked his hand and glared at him. He laughed.

"You are! You were concerned about me!" He grinned.

"Fine, I'll just randomly disappear sometimes and see how you feel!" His face hardened a bit. He wouldn't openly admit it but he cared about her, and would not like it if she just disappeared.

"Nah." He said, laying back.

"...Nah?"

"Nah." He repeated. She shook his head and laid next to him.

"You're weird, Daiki."

"Yeah?"

"Yup." He chuckled when she laid her head on his ribs again. He put his hand on her head.

"Don't interrupt my nap this time, brat."

"I'm going to nap too asshole." He huffed and closed his eyes, falling asleep. Yuuki closed her eyes as well, enjoying the warmth that seemed to radiate from Daiki's body. That warmth lulled her into sleep.

"Go buy some bread!"

"...Bread?" Hitomi watched from behind the first year boys as she leaned on her crutches. To be truthful, she was tempted to just ditch them. Her arms were so sore and red from the pads under her armpits. Apparently it showed on her face because Kuroko gave her a sympathetic glance.

"Yes, it's the 27th of each month the cafeteria gives out special bread! Its supposed to give you luck and success!"

"I see."

"Only, it gets a littler busier than normal." Hyuuga put a hand to his chin, implying with his face that that was a major understatement.

"That's easy as pie, ma'am." Hitomi blinked several times. 'Good luck, Tagia...'

"The second years will pay for this, but if you fail..." His face got scary. "You'll be training three times as hard." The first years all stiffened, frightened.

"If you don't hurry, they'll be sold out."

Hitomi walked with them as they walked to the cafeteria, humming quietly under her breath. She was short of breath because of her crutches. She just wanted to toss them into the trash can and burn them. They all stopped at the loud noise coming from the cafeteria.

"Okay wow, I'm gonna sit this one out guys..." Hitomi turned and started walking down the hall. She sat down by her locker in the hallway. She glared at her crutches, glad she only had a few more days. A fimiliar face walked down the hallway.

"Akria-chan!" Hitomi called. Akria looked at her.

"Hitomi-chan!" She ran over. "How are you, I miss you!" She sat down next to her.

"Where have you been? I haven't seen you in a week!"

"Ah, My brothers and I have been out of school. My dad takes us out one week a year for a family thing." She smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.

"How are your brothers, by the way?"

"They're good, still dorks." She smiled happily. "Being a big sister is fun."

"I wouldn't know." Hitomi smiled softly, leaning her head against the lockers.

"Are you an only child?"

"Yeah, kind of? I mean I have Yuuki, but she's not blood related to me." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. Even if they weren't blood related. Hitomi couldn't think of a time where Yuuki wasn't there. Them going to different high schools was the first time they've been apart for more than a week. "She goes to Touou. I miss her."

"We should go see her!"

"We should." She nodded thoughtfully.

"Akria-chan!" A voice called from down the hallway. They turned to see Teppei at the end.

"Oh, that's my cue." She blushed slightly and stood. "See you later Hitomi-chan!" Hitomi nodded and watched her leave.

'I haven't even eaten yet..' She sighed and moved to stand. There was suddenly a hand in front of her face, causing her to squeak in surprise.

"Oh, Tetsu!" She put a hand over her chest. "You scared me." She took his hand and he helped her up. She stumbled a bit and he steadied her, putting a hand on her waist. She blushed slightly. "Thanks." He smiled at her gently.

"Here." He held out half of a sandwich to her. "I knew you didn't get lunch, so I cut mine in half."

"Oh! You didn't need to do that!" She was startled, she hadn't expected him to be so...caring?

"You need to eat too." He tugged her to a bench near her. 'Why didn't I just sit down there?'

He handed the sandwich to her and sat down next to her.

"Thank you, Testuya." She smiled at him.

"You're welcome." She took a bite into the sandwich.

"Wah, this is really good!"

"Isn't it?" He smiled. She stared at him for a second, his smile distracting her. "Hitomi-chan?"

"Ah, sorry." She blushed. "Are you coming over for dinner again?" Since that night Hitomi invited them to dinner, Kagami and Kuroko would come have dinner with her and her mother every night or so.

"I'm not sure."

"How about.." She bit her lip. "How about after practice we go and get some milkshakes at Maji Burger?" His eyes lit up slightly.

"That sounds good." She smiled with a blush on her face.

"I'll look forward to it then."  
>_<p>

"Captain, I copied the Inter-high tournament bracket!"

The team was standing in their practice gear listening to Riko and Hyuuga.

"Inter-high starts as preliminaries, so if we lose, we're out. We can't let our guard down at all." Hitomi had abandoned her crutches(no sadly, Kagami and Hyuuga wouldn't let her burn them) and was standing in the middle of the boys. She wasn't going to be practicing, but she was the manager for now, so she needed to pay attention. She nodded slightly at Hyuuga's explanations. She sighed softly. If she wasn't so immature she could probably be practicing with them at least for the tournament.

Her eyes glanced around looking at the eager faces of her team.

'I think we'll be okay.'

"I get the gist of it. But you're wrong about one thing." Kagami said, and everyone looked at him. "They're not chosen, they win it...sir." The team smiled, and Hitomi pat Kagami on the back.

"We've got three weeks until then. We fell a step short last year, but we'll definitely go this year. We'll be facing a lot of strong teams, but Shutoku is our biggest threat. They have a Generation of Mircales on their team. If we can't beat them, we won't make it to nationals."

Hitomi looked at Kuroko.

"You know who he is, right?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He said to Kagami and her. "Kise-san said that they were on another level. If they've improved at all, I cannot imagine how strong they are."

"Lets make sure we're on the ball!"

"Yeah!"

It was rough, just watching the boys practice, but Hitomi made sure to pay attention to each of their skills. They were all sweaty and tired when they headed to the locker room. Hitomi changed into casual clothes in the woman's restroom. She slid on a pair of dark jean shorts and a long tee shirt that was a size too big, because it was comfortable. She pulled her bag over her shoulder, wishing that they hadn't had to send her Seirin jacket back because it was too big. She walked out of the restroom to see Kuroko waiting for her.

"Ready to go?" He asked her and she nodded, following him. They walked out of the gym together, causing their team to look at them curiously.

"...Im going to follow them." Izuki said quietly. He was curious. His team members nodded in agreement and they all started to follow Hitomi and Kuroko stealthily.

Meanwhile, Kuroko and Hitomi were discussing middle school.

"It's not bad you didn't remember me Tetsu-kun. We only met once, and it was barely for ten minutes. Akashi-san needed a favor. Kise is the only one that continued to hang out with me after we met."

"I still should have remembered. I don't normally forget."

"It's not a big deal!" She smiled happily. "I looked familiar, so that's fine. I remember watching a lot of your guy's games though, Kise dragged me to them."

"I see." Hitomi looked up at him. She hit his arm lightly with her shoulder. He looked at her and smiled slightly. She smiled up at him. The team exchanged looks, some were confused, others knowing. They walked into Maji burger, and Hitomi got a chocolate milkshake, while Kuroko got a-surprise-vanilla one. They sat at a table by the window (fortunately enough for the Seirin team).

"Do you think their dating?" Kagami asked the team.

"I don't know. They call each other so casually.."

"And he's always nice to her.."

"They could just be friends guys."

"We'll have to ask them." They all turned to look at Koganei like he was crazy.

"ASK THEM?!"

"Ask us what?" Hitomi asked from in front of them innocently. She was now supporting Kuroko's jacket, the sleeves covering her hands. She stood slightly behind kuroko.

"If you guys are-"

Kagami, Izuki and Hyuuga covered his mouth.

"What?" She pouted. The men stared at her pout.

"SO CUTE."

"I'll walk you home, Hitomi-chan!" Riko offered, hooking her arm around hers and walking away from them.

"Wait I need to-"

"See you boys tomorrow!"

They walked down the street together, their arms looped. Riko looked down at the smaller girl.

"So Hitomi-chaan~" Hitomi was nervous.

"Y-Yes senpai..?"

"Are you and Kuroko-kun dating?"

"W-What?! e-eh, where did t-that come from!" She asked, flustered.

"You seem to like him enough..." Hitomi went quiet, fingering the ends of his jacket. She looked at the ground.

"We're not dating. We're friends, Riko-san."

"Oh?" 'Why does she look so upset at that?' "How do you feel about Kuroko-kun?"

"I..." She looked away. "Look its my stop. Ill see you tomorrow, senpai, thanks for walking me!" She dissapeared into her house.

"Mom I'm home!" She walked forward a little and her dad walked from around the corner. She stared shocked for a moment.

"Hi Hito-chan~"

"Dad!" She cried happily and ran to hug him. He swung her around and laughed, petting her head. He hugged her tightly.

"I missed you, squirt."

"I missed you too, dad." She smiled at him. They moved to the living room to sit down on the couch. Its been months since she's last seen her dad.

"How long are you home?"

"Permanently, I hope." Her eyes widened in surprise.

"What? Really?!"

"I've been moved to a station in Japan finally, so I'll be home everynight."

"I'm so glad!" She hugged him tightly, snuggling his side.

"Me too, Hito-chan. Now tell me about these boys your mother keeps talking about."

"Well..." Hitomi blushed.

"Oh and you like one of them? This is what happens when I leave, I miss all of the juicy stuff." He pouted.

"DAD!"


End file.
